Have budget talks between the Senate and House collapsed?
We’re being dragged by Republicans into a nightmare scenario between our two budget allocations and [GOP] insistence the debt ceiling be tied in. People in this country want certainty. They want us to come to a solution.
Are you frustrated you can’t get to conference?
Absolutely. In Congress we have differences of opinion. We come together; we compromise. That’s what regular order is. Without it, the [GOP is] literally dragging us into an economic calamity this fall.
Why won’t they meet to work out a final budget deal?
Their stated reason is they don’t want to take extra votes in the House [selecting and instructing negotiators] while we work on this. To me this is a non-argument.
What about raising the debt ceiing? President Obama says he won’t negotiate [based] on that.
Last time we had a debt ceiling discussion [in 2011], we were downgraded by a credit rating agency. People were frightened. There’s no reason for Congress to drag us to that again.
How is all of this likely to play out?
We go to conference, work out an agreement. I won’t like everything. Sen. Paul Ryan won’t like everything. But this is a democracy. That’s how you solve problems.